When Spring and Summer arrive along with the warm temperatures, it is nice to sit down and relax on your deck or patio. However, when the temperatures start to climb, sitting outside during the day can sometimes become uncomfortable. Rather than suffer through another season of having the hot sun beating down on you, it may be a good idea to consider buying a retractable awning for your home. But if you are like most people, you know little about these home accessories that are continuing to grow in popularity. However, if you are through getting roasted on your deck or patio and have decided to make a retractable awning part of your home’s exterior, here are some tips to help you make the best selection.

Picking the Right Material

When choosing your retractable awning, you will likely be selecting one that is made out of either fabric or aluminum. The two most common materials used in constructing retractable awnings for homes, this will often come down to personal preference. For example, if you select a fabric awning for your home, you will have a greater variety of colors from which to choose, but the awning will likely need more maintenance. On the other hand, if you select an aluminum awning, they are usually very sturdy and require little maintenance, but are limited in colors and designs.

Side Panels

For many retractable awnings, side panels are a popular addition for many homeowners. Not only will they give the awning a different look from an architectural perspective, but they will also provide additional coverage from the sun and rain. As a result, you will be able to use your deck or patio during times when you otherwise would have had to go inside.

Selecting the Proper Angles

While most people are caught up in deciding how their awning will look, it is also important to take the time to make sure you select the proper angles at which your awning will be installed on your home. This is crucial, since if the wrong angles are selected, you may not get the maximum amount of coverage needed to protect you from the sun and rain. For best results, if the awning will be installed on the east or west portion of your home, it should be installed at angles of 65-75 degrees. However, if it will be on the north or south part of your home, the angles should range from 45-60 degrees.

Choosing the Colors

When you are ready to choose the colors for your awning, it is best to use plenty of common sense. For example, if you come across a color that is very bright and would certainly make your awning stand out from the crowd, make sure it will be a good fit for your home’s existing outdoor color scheme. For best results, most people tend to choose lighter colors. Not only do these tend to blend in well with a home’s overall look, but they also do not attract as much heat, which helps to keep a deck or patio even cooler. In many cases, having a light-colored awning can lower the temperature of a deck or patio by as much as 20 degrees from the surrounding air temperature.

Awning Style

While you will have a variety of colors and accessories from which to select, you will also have many styles from which to choose. As retractable awnings have grown in popularity in recent years, more and more styles are now available to homeowners. For example, some of the most popular styles currently in use at many homes are dome-styled awnings, waterfall awnings, and semi-circular awnings that can work very well at entrances.

Large or Small Awnings?

Along with being available in many different materials, colors, and styles, retractable awnings also come in many different sizes. Therefore, you will need to decide if you want a large or small awning. If you are wanting an awning mainly for decorative purposes, a smaller retractable awning will be your best bet. However, if your primary goal is to have maximum coverage from the sun and rain on your deck or patio, a larger awning will suit you very well.